Short answer: the Sony XB23. It ranks #64 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $100; the KEF Muo gen2 ranks #73 and costs $249.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sony XB23 offers: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Watch for: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
What the KEF Muo gen2 offers: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance Watch for: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Buy the Sony XB23. It ranks higher for sound quality than the KEF Muo gen2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the KEF Muo gen2: rated for 24 hours against 12 hours for the Sony XB23.
Water resistance is not close: the KEF Muo gen2 is rated at IP67 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Sony XB23 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #64 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #73 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 90dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Output Power | 8W RMS | 40W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) | - |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Klipsch Nashville
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Flip 4
- KEF Muo gen2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Sony XB23
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony XB23: $100 eBay
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life.
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 8W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony xb23 - worse or worser? 🤭
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs XB33 - specs and measurements
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Reddit Search for Sony XB23 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons